Home » Recipe Type » Dinner » Pasta » Ina Garten’s Vodka Sauce {Best Vodka Sauce Ever}
4.9 from 77 reviews
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
If you’re a vodka sauce fan, this recipe is for you. Ina’s vodka sauce = the best vodka sauce ever.
After reading the preface to this pasta alla vecchia bettola recipe in The Barefoot Contessa’s Foolproof, I had to make it immediately. More than being a mainstay on the menu of one of Ina’s favorite restaurants for 20 years, what struck me about the recipe was the method, which calls for roasting the sauce in a covered pan for one-and-a-half hours.
The recipe originates from a restaurant in Florence, and Ina likens the dish to the classic penne alla vodka “but with so much more flavor.”
Few sauces that call for using canned tomatoes leave me satisfied the way this one has. But this sauce has the potential to make this winter like no other.
During the hour and a half in the oven, liquids reduce and flavors concentrate, and the resulting sweet-spicy mixture needs little more than a few splashes of cream and a handful of cheese to balance it out. Adding the full cup of cream makes for an incredibly delicious sauce, but it can hold its own with much less.
This recipe is a little fussier than most of its kind, but the hands-on time is minimal, and the lengthy cooking time really transforms the canned tomatoes. If you’re a penne alla vodka fan, this one’s for you. And don’t be afraid to use the full cup of cream. You won’t be disappointed you did!
PS: If you’re pressed for time, this quick homemade tomato sauce, which includes a vodka sauce variation, can be ready in about 30 minutes.
PPS: And if you’re looking for a fresh tomato sauce, this quick, fresh tomato-basil sauce is a favorite.
Ina’s Vodka Sauce, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients:
First, sweat the onions and garlic for five minutes:
After draining (or not… I don’t do this anymore) the San Marzano tomatoes…
… squeeze them right into the pan:
Transfer to the oven and after 1.5 hours …
…purée the mixture in a blender or food processor:
Meanwhile, boil some pasta.
Drain it.
Gather some heavy cream and grate some parmesan cheese.
Add the cream to the sauce.
Stir to incorporate.
Toss the sauce with pasta and shower with the grated parmesan.
I love this sauce with bucatini, too.
Ina Garten’s Vodka Sauce {Best Vodka Sauce Ever}
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.9 from 77 reviews
- Author: Alexandra Stafford
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
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Description
Inspired by: The Barefoot Contessa’s Foolproof. If you’re a vodka sauce fan, this recipe is for you. Ina’s vodka sauce = best vodka sauce ever.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium (or a few small) Spanish onion(s), chopped or sliced to yield 2½ cups
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or sliced
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (If you are sensitive to heat, just use a pinch and adjust at the end. The ½ teaspoon makes for a seriously spicy sauce.)
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano (optional — I don’t use. I love dried oregano, but I don’t always love it in tomato sauce.)
- 1 cup vodka
- two 28-ounce cans peeled plum tomatoes (56 ounces total)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ pound penne pasta or whatever shape you like
- 4 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil (I use basil)
- ¼ to 1 cup heavy cream
- grated Parmigiano or Pecorino
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano (if using) and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve. UPDATE: I no longer drain the tomatoes. I find the sauce comes out just as well, and by eliminating this draining step, I don’t have to worry about using up that juice at a later date. If you have made this many times and wish to continue draining the tomatoes, go for it. Save the strained juice. It freezes well and can be used for future sauce-making days or bloody Mary mix, etc.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan and use scissors to snip them into smaller pieces. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid or foil and place it in the oven for 1½ hours.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. (Note: Ina adds 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to her pasta water. I do this, too, and find it really seasons the pasta nicely. There is no need to save pasta cooking liquid in this recipe, but if there were, the reserved liquid would be too salty. Just something to keep in mind.) Drain and return pasta to its cooking pot.
- Place the tomato mixture in a blender or food processor and purée in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Place potholders or dishtowels around the handles of your pot to prevent burning your hands in the next step. (Note: I purée a handful of basil with the sauce at this step and don’t add any more fresh herbs.) Return sauce to the pan.
- Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (if using) and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency — start with a quarter cup; taste; add more as necessary. Add salt (if necessary) and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add sauce to the pasta until it’s coated to your liking, and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in a generous handful of grated cheese. Serve with an additional sprinkle of cheese and a sprinkle of fresh oregano (if using) on each plate. Store the remaining sauce in the fridge for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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Kellea —Reply
This is wonderful!!!! I have an Italian meal the weekend before Thanksgiving for “my family” Thanksgiving. I wanted to change things up a bit this year and added this sauce to the menu and everyone loved it! I always have grilled chicken and shrimp as meat options to add to the sauces I make, both paired well, but I preferred the shrimp with this sauce.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Kellea! All of this sounds wonderful. Love the idea of pairing shrimp with this sauce.
Tani —Reply
Does the sauce freeze well? There are only two of us…
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Yes!
Amanda —Reply
Made this today and loved it. Tasted just like the roasted cherry tomato sauce in the summer with fresh tomatoes- yum. It does make a lot of sauce, but I’m sure it will be equally yummy leftover!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Wonderful to hear, Amanda! It disappears quickly I find… hope you do, too 🙂
LisaB —Reply
I’ve never eaten vodka sauce so didn’t know if I’d like it or not. But after reading Ali’s comments and all the others who commented – plus the photos! – I had to try it. Plus I’m an Ina Garten fan, she rarely steers me wrong. OMG this is beyond delicious! Made the full recipe even though there’s only 2 of us, we both had second helpings which is super rare plus enough to freeze for another meal (if we don’t eat it first). You could literally pour it into a bowl and serve as soup, it’s that yummy. I might do just that!!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to read all of this, Lisa! And I hear you: every time I make it, I think: with a little stock (or maybe even water), this would be the best soup. Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Laura —Reply
This was a show stopper!! Made it for the first time and will certainly be adding this recipe to the regular rotation.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Yay 🎉🎉🎉 Great to hear, Laura 🙂 🙂 🙂
Maile —Reply
This was delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Maile 🙂 🙂 🙂 THanks for writing!
Flanagan —Reply
As an Irish woman learning to (for real) cook in her 50s (my Italian/French Creole wife does most all of it), I make many blunders, and pick some mezzo-mezzo recipes, but *this one* made me feel like a gourmet chef!! It was delicious, simple to follow/carry out, and tasted even better the next day!! My wife was impressed, and she’s a wonderful cook!
Thank you so much!!!Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to read this Flanagan!! This is one of my favorites, too. Always turns out just as expected. Thanks so much for writing!
Julie —Reply
By far THE. BEST. vodka sauce I’ve ever eaten. I can’t stop talking about it. So much so, I’m annoying my mom and husband haha. My mouth is watering just typing this up!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
See Also3 Ingredient Tempura BaterYay 🙂 🙂 🙂 So nice to read this, Julie!
Mary —Reply
Hi, can I use a cast iron skillet? I don’t have a sauté pan the can go in the oven.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
If you have one that is large enough and that has a lid then go for it!
Mary —Reply
Hi Mary. I don’t have a large enough oven proof pan so after the cooking time in a saucepan on the stove I’m planning to put the sauce in a rectangular casserole dish and cover it with foil. I think this method will work just as well as a covered saucepan. It adds another dish to wash, but think it makes for a good alternative.
Susan —Reply
OMG…this is amazing! My family went crazy for this…I made it with chicken parm….yum yum yum
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Suan 🙂 Sounds delish with chicken parm!
Keira —Reply
I am a bit confused. Are you the one making the recommendations/adjustments to the recipe in parenthesis, or are those Ina’s recommendations/adjustments from “Nick and Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola” recipe? Is Ina’s recipe the same as Nick and Toni’s recipe? Please help. I’d like to follow Ina’s recipe.
Kathy —Reply
I have made this sauce several times and it is always delicious. This time I am planning to serve it at a party with 20 people. I am wondering if I can prepare the sauce the day before, make the pasta ( slightly undercook like I would for baked ziti), mix with the sauce and then heat it all up in the oven during the party? I’m trying to avoid cooking pasta during the party.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi Kathy! That should work great. Go for it 🙂
Maggie Finn —Reply
Kathy, Did this work well? I am looking to do the same!
Denise —Reply
Question: ok to make the sauce ahead of time minus the cream? Then add the cream the day I am preparing the pasta. Thanks !!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Yep! Go for it 🙂
Nathalie —Reply
Hello, I was so excited to make this but sadly the sauce came out tasting extremely bitter. I added two 1/4 teaspoons of sugar but there was no improvement. Any idea as to what I did wrong? Or could do better next time?
Thank you!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Strange! What was the material of the pan that you used? What brand of canned tomatoes did you use?
Sharon —Reply
Looks so good, i will be cooking this on the weekend.would prawns go with this ?
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Yes! Great addition.
Ellen Wagner —Reply
This is absolutely not Ina’s recipe. This recipe is famous at Nick and Tony’s in East Hampton NY. They even came on her show and made it!
Candace Tesler —Reply
I was following along and so excited to try it until it got to the cream addition. My husband and I are vegan so I was wondering if I could substitute plant-based milk for the cream. Any thoughts?
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
I think you could! I also think it might be delicious without any cream. Maybe taste the sauce once it is puréed before you add the milk?
Dee —Reply
Thanks for your tips & tricks!
I followed this recipe using 2 cans diced tomatoes (didn’t drain), the dried & fresh oregano, and only half as much chilli as family can’t handle too much spice, ha! Added some fresh basil too, couldn’t resist. Rest of recipe as written. Served with toasted sourdough & YUM!! Will definitely make again.Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Yum an yay! Great to read all of this, Dee 🙂
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Stefanie —Reply
I’ve made many, many vodka sauce recipes in my day and my family claims this one is the best! That’s saying a lot as my mother in law is Italian and my husband grew up eating her food whom she learned to cook from her grandmother. I made it almost as written. I didn’t measure the cream when putting it in but I used about 1 and 1/4 cup. Also I didn’t have any fresh basil, I only had the partially dried basil that you buy in the little cups in the produce department. We’ve been eating it all week and I’m making another batch as we speak.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to hear this, Stefanie! Love reading all of this. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes — very helpful for others who can’t find fresh basil 🙂
Den M. —Reply
Ali, wasn’t sure where to post this question. I always try products you suggest, we have currently put the Rummo Pasta on our list next time we hit Whole Foods. My question is on Kinder’s seasoning! I have been searching through many of your prior posts and have come up empty. I am thinking that you had recommended one of these “flavors” after having tried one fairly recently. I haven’t found anything on your site so far, maybe it was something else that I read. There are so many new products, I don’t try too many but when you point to one, I give a go! Please keep me from continuing going crazy trying to find a post of yours on Kinder’s! Thank you
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Denise, hello! I don’t think it was me unfortunately… I’ve never heard of Kinder’s. The one thing I mentioned recently in my newsletter was Bachan’s Japanese BBQ sauce… could that have been it? https://bachans.com/products/the-original-japanese-barbecue-sauce
Mary-Gay —Reply
Made this yesterday for a Father’s Day dinner using 3 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes and increasing other ingredients accordingly: it was a huge hit even with subbing cashew cream (soaked raw cashews blended w/ water until consistency of heavy cream) to keep it dairy-free. Another winner: thanks 🤗 !!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear! Thanks for writing and sharing these notes. Great tip on the cashew cream (which I love).
Kerry —Reply
Just made this tonight and oh my goodness…it’s awesome! I’ve made vodka sauce from other recipes and they were fine, but THIS ONE? So much more depth of flavor than any other one I’ve ever made. It’s a little time consuming but it’s totally worth it in the end. Thanks for sharing!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Kerry! Agreed: a little time consuming but so worth it 🙂
Linda Osborn —Reply
Best EVER! I kinda left out the oregano, like just a 1/2 tsp to sautéing onions Added a handful of basil to the sauce in the cusinart. This was excellent! Best use of Vodka Ever!
Served it over ricotta stuffed gnocchi. with a bit of basil chiffonade….Wow! So glad there was some sauce left over for the freezer! For myself!Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Yum! Sounds outstanding. Great to hear. Thanks for writing 🙂
Andrea V —Reply
Tbh is was fabulous! I used some frozen tomatoes from last year’s garden and it worked beautifully. My husband is super picky and said this recipe is a keeper.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Andrea! Homegrown tomatoes no doubt take it over the top! Thanks for writing 🙂
